hold the fort

verb

To assume or take responsibility, especially in another's absence.

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

verbhold the fort (third-person singular simple present holds the fort, present participle holding the fort, simple past and past participle held the fort)

present singular third person holds the fort · participle present holding the fort · participle past held the fort · past held the fort · alternative hold down the fort

  1. To assume or take responsibility, especially in another's absence.
  2. To maintain a secure position.

Translations

Danish holde stand
  • holde standto assume or take responsibility
Finnish pitää pystyssä
  • pitää pystyssäto assume or take responsibility
French tenir la boutique, tenir le pot droit
  • tenir la boutiqueto assume or take responsibility
  • tenir le pot droitto assume or take responsibility
  • garder la boutiqueto assume or take responsibility
German die Stellung halten
  • die Stellung haltento assume or take responsibility
Hungarian tartja a frontot
  • tartja a frontotto assume or take responsibility
Polish pilnować, brać odpowiedzialność
  • pilnowaćto assume or take responsibility
  • brać odpowiedzialnośćto assume or take responsibility
  • wziąć odpowiedzialnośćto assume or take responsibility
Cite this entry
APA

hold the fort. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hold%20the%20fort

MLA

“hold the fort.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hold%20the%20fort. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hold the fort,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hold%20the%20fort.

Source: hold the fort on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.